Continuing with the Beef Tataki Carpaccio, a gorgeous and succulent concoction of shaved baby artichoke with truffle essence, glaced with a tasty soy sauce. Next was the Tuna Tartare Pizza, brushed with white soy sauce, truffle aioli and minced onion and garlic, giving it a unique, distinct taste which sails high above more standard pizza recipes I’ve recently encountered.

If you’re a fan of Risotto, I definitely recommend Murasaki-imo Parmigiano Wheel Risotto, composed of sweet purple potato and green cauliflower, plus, the meat lovers out there can also add chicken to make it a more hearty meal.

One of the most interesting dishes was Trippa, which I rarely see on a menu.

This is an Italian tripe stew in tomato sauce with parmigiano and despite most probably being an acquired taste, was tasty.

But be warned – unless you’re feeling brave, you should be a fan of tripe to fully appreciate this Italian dish.

Lastly, out came the Lamb Chops, which were cooked to tender perfection, and sautéed with macadamia porcini crust with a gorgonzola sauce, complimenting the flavour of the tender meat and making it one of my favourite dishes.

The only dishes I won’t be singing the praises of were the Tori Teba and Bone Marrow, both of which were a little too harsh and sharp for my liking; the later completely dominated by garlic, leaving a taste in my mouth even 24 hours later!

All in all, I had a great experience at Sora; the staff were friendly, the ambience comfortable and the fusion cuisine options extraordinary and delicious.

Service could be slightly improved by speeding up dishes coming out of the kitchen and more attentive wait staff, but this seems to be improving by the day; my return visit this week showed the staff to have vastly improved.

There is a fantastic lunch specials in the form of Bento Boxes at a reduced price and if you’re one of those who likes to bring your own wine to the table, a corkage fee of $15 is required.

One obstacle is the location, which is pretty troublesome during busy times, but there is parking validation for diners, so this makes it much more accessible.

Do take precaution though when choosing this for as a fine dining experience – a flat screen TV does skew the atmosphere slightly, giving it a more laid back, casual feel than upscale dining experience.

But that shouldn’t stop you from trying this delightful restaurant and enjoying a great dinner and ambiance.

As the Italians say ‘Magnifico!’ or as the Japanese say ‘壮大な!’ You choose which one suits you better!

Recommended:

Bluefin Tuna Tartare, Uni Jam, Beef Tataki Carpaccio, Tuna Tartare Pizza, Murasaki-imo Parmiagianno risotto, Lamb chops.

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